Advertisement
Kochi: On Monday, official said that one person died in a massive blast at an illegal firecracker warehouse operated from a residential area at Tripunithura near. 16 others including women and children injured in the incident.
The victim was identified as Vishnu hailing from Thiruvananthapuram but other details were not available immediately, according to the district administration. Official added that the condition of four injured persons is reportedly serious and they were rushed to Kalamassery Medical College from a nearby hospital for expert care.
A senior Fire and Rescue Department official confirmed that it was a massive blast, tremors of which were felt several km away. He said the tremors were felt even at the local fire station and they proceeded to the spot alarmed by the huge sound of the explosion.
The officer said that the blaze was soon brought under control but it had already caused heavy damage in the vicinity and surrounding areas. The Assistant Station Officer told the media,”We had no clue that a firecracker warehouse was being operated in this thickly populated area. Those who operated it did not seek any permission for the same.”
Clarifying that the exact cause of the explosion was not yet known, he said they were relying on information provided by locals who said the accident occurred when firecrackers were being unloaded into the warehouse from a vehicle.
The officer said,”Local people said the warehouse was being operated in the area for some time and firecrackers were stored as part of a local temple festival. We have to verify such details. But, we had no information about its operations so far.”
Meanwhile, local residents have still not recovered from the impact of the unexpectedly large explosion that shook the area. The roofs of several two-storey buildings in the area were found seriously damaged. Due to the impact of the explosion, doors and windows of many houses were blown out and cars parked in the portico were destroyed by falling bricks and tiles.
Even tall trees could be seen completely charred by the fire and remnants of the explosion could be seen several meters away. An elderly man was seen sharing his joy at not losing his life, while a teenage boy could be seen shivering from the impact of the huge explosion.
Officials said an investigation has been initiated into the illegal storage of huge quantity of firecrackers in a densely populated residential area. Meanwhile, Health Minister Veena George directed to ensure expert medical care to those injured in the blast. In a statement, he said that the District Medical Officer has already taken steps to ensure necessary care of those admitted at Kalamassery Medical College and Ernakulam General Hospital.
